IT’S not the patter of tiny feet which can be heard at Port Lympne wild animal park near Hythe - but the clonk of heavy hooves.

Keepers there are celebrating following the birth of two black rhinos in less than a month.

Baby number one Damara, was born on December 18 and Monduli arrived just a few weeks ago. Both weighed at about 50lbs.

The cute pair made their first public appearance this week with proud mums Vuyu and Ruaha.

The calves bring the Port Lympne black rhino total to 19 - the largest group outside Africa. Less than 3,000 remain in the wild.

Head keeper Paul Beer said: “Both babies are doing well and going outside for short periods during the day. The little girl is growing fast. We are really pleased with their progress.”

Vuyu’s first baby, a cow named Kivu was sent from Port Lympne to a reserve in South Africa in 2004. She recently gave birth to a bull calf - fathered by an indigenous wild bull.

The project follows the late John Aspinall’s original dream of breeding rare and endangered species and returning them to the wild. John Aspinall was the founder of Port Lympne and Howletts at Bekesbourne.